Dietary protein content influences both growth and size distribution of anterior and posterior muscle fibres in juveniles of Pagellus bogaraveo (Brunnich)

• Published in: Journal of muscle research and cell motility Vol. 30; no. 1-2; pp. 29 - 39
• Main Authors: Silva, P, Valente, L. M. P, Galante, M. H, Andrade, C. A. P, Monteiro, R. A. F, Rocha, E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands 01-03-2009; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Body Size; Dietary Proteins - administration & dosage; Muscle Development; Muscle Fibers, Fast-Twitch - cytology; Muscle Fibers, Fast-Twitch - drug effects; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal - cytology; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal - drug effects; Muscle Fibers, Slow-Twitch - cytology; Muscle Fibers, Slow-Twitch - drug effects; Pagellus bogaraveo; Perciformes - anatomy & histology; Perciformes - growth & development
• DOI: 10.1007/s10974-009-9167-z
• EISSN: 1573-2657
• ISSN: 0142-4319

Muscle cellularity was studied in Pagellus bogaraveo juveniles fed on diets with different protein contents. Measured in transversal body sections, at both post-opercular and post-anal locations, the morphometric variables estimated were: total muscle area (A), total number of fibres (N), number of fibres per unit area of muscle (N A) and cross-sectional fibre area [graphic removed] of the two main muscle fibre types. At the end of the experiment fish fed on diets having more than 40% of protein displayed significantly higher body weight. Fish fed on protein-rich diets exhibited greater [graphic removed] and N. For fish fed on 30 and 50% protein diets the morphometric parameters measured grew linearly with the fish weight. High-protein diets favoured muscle hyperplasia. When comparing rostral and caudal locations, a greater N and a smaller [graphic removed] of posterior red fibres were the consistent differences found--a fact, to our knowledge, so far unreported for fish.